Carpet-stretcher



(No oaei'.)

J. P. BROWNE. CARPET STRETGHER.

No. 437,971. Patented 001;. 7, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH P. BROWNE, OF PRINCETON, INDIANA.

CARPET-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION firming part of Letters Patent fie. 437,971, dated October 7, 1890.

Application filed April 24, 1890! Serial No. 349,375. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH P. BROWNE, a citizen of the United States,residin g at Princeton, in the county of Gibson and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved stretcher in position for operation; Fig. 2, a similar view of the stretcher folded up for transportation or packing away; Fig. 3, a detail perspective view of the hingeconnection between the sections of the main bar.

The object of the invention is to provide an extremely simple device for stretching carpets and holding them in a stretched condition until tacked to the floor, the said device being very strong and practical and capable of folding up for packing or transportation purposes; and it consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, that will be fully hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings by letter, a designates the main bar, having secured to its forward end a cross-bar I), provided with teeth on its under side to engage the carpet. This main bar is pivotally clamped byahorizontal bolt 0 between the forward ends of a pair of bars d, which have a block 6 interposed and secured between their rear ends to keep them separated. The main bar a, may be provided with additional apertures along its length for the passage of the bolt 0, in order that the same may be adjusted.

In operation the rear end of the main lever is raised and the teeth of the cross-head in serted in the carpet near the wash-board. The operator then places his foot upon the rear end of the frame cl (1 to prevent its moving, and bears down upon the rear elevated end of the main lever, whereupon the cross-head forces the carpet toward the wash-board and holds it in such stretched condition until secured to the floor.

able dimensions. For instance, they may be made long enough to extend from one side of the room to the other.

The rear end of the frame (:1 cl may be provided with teeth or spikes, if desired, in order to enter the floor and prevent the frame moving during operation, and thereby render it unnecessary for the operator to place his foot thereon for that purpose.

In order that the apparatus may be folded up, as shown in Fig. 2, the main bar a may be constructed of two sections and hinged together by a hinge f just forward of the pivotal bolt 0, the said hinge being secured upon the upper side of the bar, as shown.

To secure the two sections of the main bar together and make them rigid while in operation, I pivotally secure on the under side of one section of the bar (preferably the rear section) a swinging plate g, provided with a longitudinal slot, and on the under side of the adjacent section a flat thumb-screw h, capable of passing through the slot in the plate g.

To make the sections rigid, itis simplynecessary to place the swinging plate over the thumb-screw, and then give the latter a quarter-turn to bring it at right angles to the slot in the plate.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- In a carpet-stretcher, the combination of a frame composed of the parallel bars 01 cl, 2. bar a, pivotally secured between the forward ends of the bars (I d and provided with a toothed cross-head at its forward end, the said bar a being composed of two abutting sections hinged together on their upper sides forward of the pivotal connection to the bars d d, a slotted plate g, hinged to the under side of one of the sections of the bars a and adapted to lap over upon the adjacent section, and a fiat set-screw h, passed through the slot in this plate and screwed into the adjacent section, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH P. BROWN E.

Witnesses:

OLIVER M. TICHENOR, ANDREW P. CAREY. 

